The Role of the Project Sponsor
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Abstract
A sponsor is the person or group who provides resources and support for the project, and is accountable for enabling success. The sponsor may be external or internal to the project manager's organization [1]. This is a critical role, as is focused on monitoring and controlling the project in a strategic level. It Is very common to associate the term “Project Sponsor” to a disconnect stakeholder from the project. On the contrary, a Project Sponsor can define the difference among success and failure. Moreover, one of the fundamentals reasons why a project fails is the absence of executive sponsorship and management [2]. The Sponsor owns the business case and leads the project through the initiating processes until formally authorized, and plays a significant role in the development of the initial scope and charter [3]. Therefore, it is vital to establish a close relationship between the sponsor and the P3 to ensure that the business case remains viable and it will deliver the stipulated goal and benefits. There is a lack of understanding of the impact that a Project Sponsor can address on the success of a project. The main goal of this article is defining the role and responsibility and identify the importance of a Project Sponsor in any project.
